From left: Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Usain Bolt and Michael Frater – Athletics Olympic Summer Men’s Olympic Games Beijing 2008, Summer Games, 4x100m Relay and Gabby Thomas (Inset)

Usain Bolt has broken his silence about Nesta Carter’s mistake while issuing a firm stance on doping punishments, partly echoing Gabby Thomas’ views.

Usain Bolt has opened up about the Nesta Carter incident as he gave his verdict on the punishment athletes who dope should be given, partly agreeing with Gabby Thomas’ sentiments.

In 2017, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the Jamaican men’s 4x100m relay team of their gold medals from the 2008 Olympic Games.

This was after a re-analysis of frozen samples that revealed that Nesta Carter had tested positive for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine.

Because of this finding, the entire Jamaican team, which included Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, and Michael Frater, was disqualified.

The ruling meant that Bolt lost one of his nine Olympic gold medals, spoiling his record of a ‘triple-treble’ (winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at three consecutive Olympics: 2008, 2012, and 2016).

Nesta Carter appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the appeal was dismissed in 2018.

Speaking about the incident, Usain Bolt revealed that it was a heartbreaking moment, not only for him but the whole squad.

He added that Nesta Carter went and apologised to him and pointed out that after some time, he moved on from that loss.

“Nesta Carter came to me and apologised. It was disappointing. But everybody makes mistakes. I’ve moved on,” Usain Bolt said in an interview with The Times.

Speaking about the doping menace, Usain Bolt insisted that everyone found guilty of that should be banned from the sport for life.

He insisted that when such stringent measures are taken, athletes will learn how to follow the rules and compete clean, knowing that they are only a mistake away from losing their entire careers.

“If you ban athletes for life, then they will have to really think about what they’re doing. If you can prove that someone genuinely did [performance-enhancing drugs] on purpose, then ban them for life,” he added.

A while back, triple Olympic champion Gabby Thomas shared a post on her Instagram stories, noting that all drug cheats should be banned for life.

She insisted that coaches should be on top of the list, revealing that if they were involved in cheating at any point in their careers, whether as athletes or coaches, they should not be allowed back into the sport.

“Doping coaches should be banned for life from coaching in the sport. Whether you were banned while competing as an athlete or caught distributing as a coach (for some, both),” Gabby Thomas posted on her Instagram stories.

“Idc idc idc. If you train under a coach who is known for doping (once, twice, or even three times for some) you are complicit. That’s my stance.”

By backing lifetime bans for proven cheats, in line with Gabby Thomas’ stance, the sprint legend has made it clear that only tough measures can truly safeguard athletics for future generations.